Wanted: Voice over IP hacker

Welcome to the future: Thanks to stunning breakthroughs in technology, even the most simple of things aren’t possible anymore.

Namely: Attaching a second handset with muted microphone to a Cisco 7940 Voice over IP Telephone.

The actual end-user request is the following:

„If A is talking to «customer», B should be able to listen in without «customer» being aware of this. If need arises, B should be able to tell A things that «customer» shouldn’t be able to hear either.“

The simple solution of perhaps just attaching a set of cables or something like that of course apparently isn’t available. Now I’m realizing that we’re dealing with high-tech, and with a voice over IP telephony solution. Perhaps one can hack the Cisco Callmanager to redirect parts of the ongoing conversation to the telephone of B?

Should anyone have any ideas for this, send me a message please!

5. Januar 2006 working Keine Kommentare zu Wanted: Voice over IP hacker

Ding!

Mood: Distracted

What I hate? People who use their PDA during a Keynote and don’t switch off the accoustic signal that tells them that they clicked on something. So the guy next to me kept making „Click, Click, Click, DING! Click, Click, Pause, Ding!“

22. September 2005 working Keine Kommentare zu Ding!

Switching things on and off

Following is a literal transcript, the names have been changed to
protect the innocent.

Me: can you please switch the other server back on ? Otherwise your data won’t be backupped

Coworker in abroad office (CAO): hi, does you means that all of us must switch off outlook?

Me: no need, just turn the computer on

CAO: then I need to turn on all computers in our office?

Me: no. There is a second computer, next to the server in the small closet. THAT computer is turned off since the blackout. You need to switch that on

CAO: Is the one ‚CompaQ‘ that is next to HP net server? If yes, how can I turn off? Just press the power button?

Me: for all we know, it is already turned off. we need it to be turned ON. And yes, it is the compaq computer. just press the power button

CAO: I came back, only turn off ‚CompaQ‘. Is ok now?

Me: I suspect that you turned it on, instead of off. but that’s ok

There was actually a phonecall in between this, where I really stressed the fact that the computer was switched off currently, and should be turned on. A few times. In the end, the computer really was turned on, and can now again start to backup data.

25. August 2005 working 1 Kommentar zu Switching things on and off

PR-Flacks and magazine editors

ghi has made a nice list of things that PR flacks seem to be convinced off. 

It contains hilarious things like (random examples)

  1. Editors just love to see Power Point presentations of the companies financial situation, instead of the product it creates.
  2. Calling back immediately after a meeting is a surefire way to get a positive answer. 

ghi, you should realize that the sales people of most companies have the same delusions when it comes to talking to possible customers. By now, I’ve developed a routine of snubbing sales people on the phone, so they won’t call me back. Yes, it’s rude, but it gives me some time to do some actual work.

22. Juli 2005 working Keine Kommentare zu PR-Flacks and magazine editors